It’s our first Saturday here at Canaan. I’m sitting in a small garden next to our house wearing an oversized tank top and Nike shorts J (this is the only place we are allowed to wear this outfit). In moments like this I wish I majored in journalism because my description simply can’t do this place justice. This is the first afternoon I’ve had the chance to be still (but no worries- I just finished cleaning the room, re-making my bed, and rigging up a contraption to fix my sagging mosquito net). It’s hard to believe it’s only noon… We woke up at 5 am to start a five-mile hike up the mountain to a cold-water spring. We were told that some of the older Canaan kids would take us up there, so naturally we figured this was going to be just an easy walk up one of the hills. Hilarious. We were so wrong.

The hike entailed 2 hours up a very steep path with portions of the path being only 6 inches wide (covered in moss) and with one wrong step you would be, in the words of my new 12-year-old friend Wesh, “dead meat”. So at many points, Jessica and I would hum the Rocky theme song and just move as quick as we could to keep up with Canaan kids and avoid the men walking along the path carrying bushels of bananas and machetes. However, WE MADE IT (with, might I add, the beginning stages of a Chaco tan)! The spring was beyond refreshing. We all took our turns jumping in as the Canaan kids laughed at how uncoordinated we looked. We laughed and enjoyed the freezing/clear/fresh water, just in time to load back up and head back down the mountain. We spent the walk with two of the Canaan boys (West-12 yrs and Joelle- 14 yrs) and played the “if you could have any super power, what would it be” game and then finally made it back to a filling brunch of peanut butter pancakes.

So now I sit here in a garden, looking at the ocean, and listening to a woman sing the most beautiful song as she washes her clothes by the well. I just finished reading Oswald Chamber’s “My Utmost for His Highest” and it focuses on Hebrews 13: 6 which says, “So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’” It’s easy to say those words as I sit here in this breath-taking setting. It’s easy to believe that after a day spent with these Haitian orphans who literally exude the joy of Christ.

But it was hard to believe yesterday morning when we went to the hospital to check on two-year-old Louie (we had taken him there on Thursday night to see the Dr. on Friday morning). Louie didn’t make it through the night; his father said he died soon after we had left the hospital that evening. I’ve sat here for a long few minutes trying to figure out what to say next. I don’t know what to say. I keep seeing the look on the father’s face when we saw him Friday morning. It’s not easy to say Hebrews 13:6 when a father asks why his son died. There are so many emotions and questions that I can’t quite peg down. However, I believe the truth of Hebrews 13:6, regardless of my sadness and anger. I am going to cling to this scripture and I have been praying that the Lord will strengthen my faith. Even though I don't at all understand what happened, I know that Christ will be glorified. Jess and I ask that you continue to pray for Louie’s father. Please pray that he will be comforted and come to know the only true Healer.

We feel your prayers daily. Thank you.

-Morg